Improved machine for cutting shoe-soles



UNITED STATES JAMES DOWN ING, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

IIVIPROVED MACHINE FOR CUTTINGSHOE-SOLES.

Specification forming part `of Letters Patent No. 54,131, (la-ted April 24, 1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I', JAMES DOWNING, of Philadelphia, Philadelphia county, State of Pennsylvania, have invent-ed anew anduseful Improvement in Machines for Cutting Shoe- Soles 5 and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being` had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a front view of my improved machine, partly broken out. Fig. 2 is a detail section of the saine, taken through the line x x, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is atop View of the same. Fig. 4 is a detail sectional view taken through the line y y, Fig. l, looking down. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional View taken through the line zz, Fig. 1, looking down. Fig. 6 is a detail sectional view taken through the line x x, Fig. 3. Fi g. 7 is a detail sectional view taken through the line y y, Fig-.3. Fig.8is adctail sectional view taken through the line z a, Fig. 3. Fig. 9 is an under-side view of the part represented in section in Fig. 8. Fig. 10is the same view as Fig. 9, with the spring broken off.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

My invention has for its object to furnish a machine by means of which shoe-soles may be cut out quickly and accurately; and it consists of a machine constructedas hereinafter more fully described.

A is a circular turning table attached to the end of a vertical shaft, B, which shaf't revolves ill bearings G, secured to the main table or bed-plate To the lower sideof the table A or to the shaft B is firmly attached a ratchet-wheel, E.

F is a pawl pivoted to the bearin gs C or bedplate D, which takes hold of the teeth of the ratchet-wheel E, and is held up to its place against said teeth by the spring G, as shown in Figs -l and 5.

H I is adoublepulley, the two parts of which are of unequal diameter, or two pulleys of unequal diameter rnily attached to each other, which revolve loosely upon the shaftB. J is a ratchet securely attached to the lower end of the vertical shaft B and revolving with it. The pawl K is pivoted to the pulley H I and is held up to its place against the teeth of the ratchet-wheel J by the spring L, as shown in Fig. l, and in dotted lines in Fig. 4. As the pulley H I is revolved in one direction it re.- volves freely upon the shaft B, the shaft B and table A being kept from revolving bythe pawl F and ratchet-wheel E. As the pulley H l is revolved in the other direction the pawl K takes hold of the ratchet-wheel J and revolves the shaft B, the table A, and the leather' M, which is being lcut and which is attached to the table A in the manner hereinafter described.

To the larger part H of the pulley H I is attached one end of aband, N. rIhis band passes around the pulleyin such adirection that when drawn upon it will revolve the pulley in the proper direction to revolve the shaft B and table A. The band N then passes over a stationary pulley, O, and toits end is attached a weight, P, yheavy enough to draw back the pulley H I and revolve the table A when said weight has been raised in making a cut, as hereinafter described.

R is an eccentric roller or pulley attached to or revolving upon a shaft, S. Upon the shaft S, and firmly attached to the pulley It, is a cog-wheel, T, into the teeth of which mesh the teeth formed on the end a of the lever U. This lever is pivoted to the frame of the machine, and its end u2 is bent, as shown in Fig. 2, so that it may be operated without coming in contact with the lever V.

To the face of the pulley or roller R is attached a strap or band, W, in such a way that when the pulley- R is revolved by depressing the end u2 of the lever U the said strap shall be wound up upon said pulley. At the pivot w the strap Wis divided into two parts, or two cords, to2 and w3, may be attached to the end of the strap Wat that point. "Ihe cords or straps 'L02 w3 pass over the pulley X in separate grooves. llhe cord or strap w2 passesI thence around the pulley I, and its end is attached tosaid pulley, as shown in Fig. 4. The cord or strap w3 passes from the pulley X over the horizontal roller Y, between the vertical roller Z, and its end is attached to the end of the arm A of the knife-frame, as shown in Fig. 2.

The support B', to which the swivel-arms C and D are pivoted is attached to the frame of the machine by screws, as shown in Figs. l and 2. These screws pass through slots in said support B' for convenience in adjusting the position of the knife-frame with :reference to the face of the table A. The knife-frame E' is pivoted to the swivel-arm D', as shown in Figs. 1, 3, and 6,

The arm F', which carries the knife, is attached to the curved arm e', as shownin Figs. 1 and 3. The knife Gr passes through a vertical slot made in anenlarged part of the arm F', as shown in the drawings, and is held in place bya set-screw, H', which holds it firmly against the stay I'. This stay is pivoted at'its upper end to the horizontal sliding bar J', and its lower end is supported by the set-screw K'. The sliding bar J' is held in position by the set-screw L. By these adjustments I am able to set the knife G vertical, so as to cut the sole with a square edge, or to set it inclined at any angle, so as to cut the sole with an edge of any desired bevel.

The lower end of the knife Gis supported and held in place by resting in a groove formed in the central part, m, of the guide M'. This central part, fm, Ais made adjustable to accommodate it to the various positions of the lower end of the knife by being made to slide in a dovetail groove formed in the main part of the groove, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, and 6, and it is held in the required position by the setscrew N'.

In using the machine the feathered edge of the guide M' passes under the leather, holding it up closely against the metallic pattern O',

along the edge of which the knife passes in cutting out the sole. The metallic pattern O is held in position upon the leather M, and both are clamped to the table A by the rib P. This rib is pivoted to the end 1^' of the lever R' by a button attached to the center of the rib. This button iits into cavities formed on the under side of the end 1^' of the lever R', and connected by a shallow groove, as shown in Figs. 8 and 10. This part of the under side of the lever is covered with a spring, S', havinga slot cnt in its forward part which will fit theneck, but will not allow the head of the button to pass through, the rear end being enlarged sufcientlyto receive the said buttonhead, as shown in Fig.9. By passing the button through the enlarged part of the slot and moving it forward the rib is pivoted to the end r of the lever, as shown in Fig. 8.

The lever B' is pivoted to a support, T', and to its end r2 is pivoted a bar, U'. To the lower end of this bar is pivoted the end o of the lever V which has its fulcrum in the support V'. Thus by pressing with the foot upon the free end o2 of the lever V the pattern and leather are clamped to the tableA and held there securely as long as the said pressure is continued.

W' is a stophaving a screw-thread cut upon its middle part, as shown in Fig. 1. This stop works in a nut attached to the side of the frame of the machine. By passing the end v2 of the leverV beneath the lower end of this stop the leather and pattern are held clamped to the table A.

X is a bent lever pivoted to the side of the frame or in a recess formed in said side, and so arranged that by pressing with the foot upon its projecting end the end of the lever V will be freed from the stop W' and the leather unclamped from the table.

In using the machine a rib corresponding to the length of the soles to be cut is pivoted to the end of the lever B', and the leather and pattern arranged upon and clamped to the table A. The knife-frame and knife are then brought to the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Then, by pressing with the foot upon the end of the lever U, the knife is drawn through the leather, being guided in makin g the cut by taking hold of the handles on the bar F'. The same operation also raises the weight P, which, as soon as the cutis completed, or whenever desired, upon the pressure being removed from the lever U, revolves the table back to its formerposition. This backward revolution of the table may, however, be stopped at any desired point by renewing the pressure upon the end of the lever U. I

The edge or forward end of the guide M' is raised from the surface of the table while said `table is being drawn back by the weight P by the action of the spring Y', attached to the plate or bottom of the knife-frame, by means of which plate the said knife-frame is pivoted to the swivel-armD,the free end of said spring pressing against the forward edge of the horizontal bar of the said frame, as shown in Figs. 1 and 3.

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- Amachinefor cutting shoe-soles constructed and operated substantially as herein described, and for the purpose set forth.

The above specification Lof my invention signed by me this 12th day of January, 1866.

JAMES DOWNING. 

